The Tropical Tank

[wetfish]

Hi,
I can't find any food treatments for fin rot on the net, does any body know of a good one currently on sale?

I had to treat my two goldfish for fin rot immediately after purchasing them,
I used Myxazin because it is 'suitable for biological filters' but I should have reduced the dose (50%) for my new aquarium. My recent battle to reduce Nitrite levels suggest the filter was harmed by the strength but finally the Nitrite results are now orange instead of red !

However one of my goldfish is still affected with fin rot, possibly due to the stress of the poor water quality. I don't want to damage the filter maturing again with a second treatment of Myxazin but I had no choice but to start the treatment again tonight.

Will using Myxazin prolong my Nitrite problems by affecting the filter?

I have a limited knowledge but I understand that Myxazin treats 'fungal' fin-rot and I fear my goldfish could have both bacterial and fungal which may explain why it wasn't cured with the first treatment like the second one.

Answers to the following will be greatly appreciated:

1) Does any-one know of a good Anti-bacterial food treatment for fin rot currently on sale?
2)Will using Myxazin correctly dosed at 50% still affect the filter?
3) Can I use 'safe start' or similar to boost the filter while using Myxazin?
4)Is there a bath to treat both types of fin rot and is this safe for a beginner?

Many thanks

from us all

[Apistogramma]

[wetfish]

Thanks very much for the advice, I am familiar with the term 'water change' !

Following almost daily water changes for over 2 weeks I really didn't want to put Myxazin in again but Wow ! The change is simply breathtaking.

I like the concept of removing the filter instead of the fish, the filter won't get stressed out ! Water changes will be required 'during' treatment if I remove the filter but less would be required after treatment as the filter will be working fine.

Q1) Will there be sufficient amonia in the tank water to be sustain the filter as I don't have amonia to feed it with after I remove it from the fish tank.

[I found Waterlife's Bacterlife (on the web) and this is supposed to fix the nitrite and amonia in the water and grow bacteria in the filter at the same time. Is it even possible for one treatment to kill the bad bacteria (causing the fin rot) and the other to help the (good) bacteria in the filter at the same time? If so , what do you think?]

Q2)After I pull out the filter later today, does it need to be kept on ?
I mean while it's in a bucket does water need to flow through it or can I just keep it submerged in the bucket?

Any-way, thanks again for your fab idea.

J

[pandacory]

[wetfish]

Thanks both,

When I got home I took the advice you offered and took out the filter and used the Myxazin at full strength.
I am wondering now about the next stage. As the filter is so sensitive, I don't want to spoil our good work when I return it to the tank so please can you advise me once more...

[I made a temporary filter housing out of a milk bottle and placed it inside a bucket filled with tank water. A section of hosepipe runs from a hole in the bottom of the milk bottle into the pump inlet which seems to be drawing the water through the filters the bottle sits beneath the surface, in a bucket].

I couldn't fit all the media in my milk bottle device so I am circulating only the bio filters, the others are in the bucket I presume this is ok?

I would love an answer to the question of ( killing the fin rot bacteria but not the filter bacteria )ie combining Myxazin and Bacterlife ?

This would just be so much easier !!!

Thanks again for the advice.

[Apistogramma]

Yes leave it all in the bucket - the biological media is the most important. Keep it well fed with little pinches of fish food.
Do you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If so it might prove useful to test it once in a while and make sure you're not overfeeding it and causing an ammonia spike. (Too much ammonia/nitrite is even toxic to good bacteria!)

[wetfish]

Thanks for the advice.

I've got a test kit for Nitrite but I think I should get the Ammonia one too.

I received a reply from Waterlife, they tell - "Bacterlife does not contain any chemicals only safe filtration bacteria in the dormant state which are triggered to proliferate by the availability of ammonia and nitrite compounds"
I also asked them about combining..
"Myxazin is safe to use at the same time as Bacterlife"
"Myxazin is the product to use for bacterial fin rot, for white spot, velvet other protozoan infections or fungus infections Protozin would be the product to use. Regards,WATERLIFE"

I'm not sure now whether to use Bacterlife or not please advise.
I would also like some help identifying which Fin rot my goldfish has before it's too late. but I'm afraid I can't work out how to upload a pic !
Doh!

[Apistogramma]

It's up to you! I'm afraid that's all the advice I can give.
_________________
Becky

*Aimlessly drives around in the steam roller with Karena's now fairly blunt scissors...and Lisa's hedge trimmer*

[wetfish]

[Apistogramma]

I would take it to 2ppm and let make sure both ammonia and nitrite are always below 4ppm. Let it get much higher and it'll start to be toxic even to the bacteria.
Test a couple of times a day and make sure the levels aren't too high or too low. If the ammonia has cleared and you get a backlog of nitrite do a small water change to reduce the nitrite level and add the next lot of ammonia to prevent that bacteria population from getting too hungry.
_________________
Becky

*Aimlessly drives around in the steam roller with Karena's now fairly blunt scissors...and Lisa's hedge trimmer*

[wetfish]

Thanks very much again.

Your continued assistance is much appreciated.